Let Me Love You One Day More
by mysticgirl916
Summary: Emma finds a CD on her desk and takes it home to listen to it. When she discovers that Will is the person singing on the disc, the song makes her realize just how special he is to her. Set after "Journey"
1. Revelation

"Thanks you guys, you were a big help," Will said as he put his guitar down. Glee practice had ended about an hour ago, but he stayed behind after all the kids were gone to work on a special project. He had enlisted the help of members of the McKinley High jazz band, the glee club rehearsal pianist Brad and a few members of the school's A/V club, who had turned the choir room into a makeshift recording studio.

He still had Emma on his mind. Ever since she revealed that she was seeing her dentist, and ever since he told her that he loved her, he still wished for the day when she would tell him that she loved him back. Which is why he decided that he wanted her to know that he still loved her in a song.

Because even though the dentist may have Emma physically, Will still had her heart.

He had gone through at least eight different songbooks looking for the right one to tell Emma how he felt, and then he finally came across a song that summed up his feelings perfectly. So he had rounded up the necessary people, and after dismissing the glee kids after a long rehearsal, he had done what he needed to do – record his own version of the song. And he thought the session went well - he only needed two takes to get all the vocals down the way he wanted it.

"It's all done, Mr. Schuester," said a member of the A/V club, "and I think it turned out perfectly, it's a high-quality recording." He handed a CD in a jewel case to Will, giving the teacher a smile and a nod before walking back to his computer on which he had recorded the voice and music tracks and mixed them together. Now all that was left to do was give it to Emma.

Walking down the familiar corridor towards her office, he pulled on the glass door and discovered the office to be empty, only now realizing that she was teaching an SAT prep class at that very moment. He laid the CD case on the desk, then put a single pink rose on top of it and walked away.

_I hope she finally figures it out, about how much I truly care for her,_ he thought.

* * *

Some time later, Emma returned to her office after the SAT prep session and stopped when she noticed the pink rose lying on her desk. She picked it up, and then noticed an unmarked CD case underneath where the delicate flower had been. Who was it from? And what was it doing there? Curious, she took the case in her hand and opened it, as she did a piece of paper fell to the floor. She reached down to pick up the note and read what was on it:

_Listen to the CD, it will explain everything._

Explain what?

* * *

Once Emma was back home, she put the rose in a small vase of water and set it on her coffee table. Still trying to figure out what the note meant about the CD explaining everything, she opened the case and inserted the CD into the small stereo she owned, then pressed play. There were a couple of seconds of silence, followed by a steady beat on some conga drums which led into a light melody played on a piano and a guitar. Finally, a male voice began to sing some beautiful words. Emma sat back on her couch, closed her eyes and listened.

_There are days we want always to remember__  
And there were days we tried to forget_

_And there are times they tell me__  
When the load gets too heavy  
But we haven't found one yet_

_You're my love, my strength__  
My joy, my all  
What I ask is small_

_Just let me love you one day more__  
And then tomorrow night, when the stars shine bright__  
I know what I'll be wishing for  
I'll want another one day more  
That's all I'll ask you for_

The voice belonged to Will, he was pouring his heart out to Emma in song. She continued to let the music tell her how he felt about her.

_People come and go__  
Prospects will surprise us__  
And then as fast, they'll all disappear__  
Whatever tricks we fall for__  
We're immune to them all  
For we have a life right here_

_As far as partners go__  
I'm yours, although  
What I bring is small_

_I want to love you one day more__  
And then tomorrow night, when the stars shine bright__  
I know what I'll be wishing for__  
I'll want another one day more  
That's all I'll ask you for_

It had hit Emma right there – Will really did love her. Sure, Carl was nice, but she knew in her heart that he couldn't compare to the true and honest feelings she had for her best friend, her rock, her pillar of strength. Will was about the only person at McKinley High aside from the glee kids who appreciated her and cherished her for who she was. And that made all the difference in the world to her, that somebody respected her for being her true self. She felt a tear trickle from her eye and start to fall down her cheek as the music intensified a bit.

_Through dawn into sunset__  
Year after year_

_Just let me love you one day more__  
And then tomorrow night, when the stars shine bright__  
I know what I'll be wishing for  
__I'll want another, and another, and another, and another  
And another day, and another day, and another day, and another day_

_How could I wish for more?_

_That's all I'll ask you for_

And as the last notes of the song began to fade away, Emma looked at the rose sitting in the vase on the table and reached up with her hand to wipe the tear from her face. But not before saying something very softly to herself:

"I love you, Will."

* * *

**Author's Note:** This story was inspired by a song Matthew did called "One Day More" for a 2007 album called _This Ordinary Thursday: The Songs of Georgia Stitt_. I felt it was a beautiful song and a great way for Will to let Emma know how much he really does love and care for her.


	2. Emotion

_I want to love you one day more…_

"Emma?"

She just couldn't get the song out of her head, even as Carl was calling her across the table. It was three days after Emma found the CD from Will on her desk, and they were having dinner together in a small restaurant in downtown Lima to celebrate their three-month anniversary since their first date. Emma did appreciate what her dentist had been doing for her to help her control her fears, but ever since she heard Will's confession of love through that beautiful song, his words couldn't escape her mind. And every time she saw that CD sitting on the table in her apartment, or in her car where it was at that very moment, she couldn't stop thinking of him.

Even when she walked past places at school like the auditorium, the faculty lounge, or even the choir room, the song was still on her mind, the music consuming her thoughts, his sweet voice enveloping her soul. How many other people did Emma Marie Pillsbury know who would pour their hearts out in a song like Will had done? Who, after making some mistakes in the past, would try to show their feelings in the best way they knew how?

"Something on your mind, Em?" Carl asked.

_Will was the only one who was allowed to call me "Em", _she thought, _it was his special name for me. Oh gosh, what am I doing?_

"Nothing really, I guess," she finally responded. "Dinner was delicious by the way." She twirled a piece of her red hair around her finger, something she often did when she was nervous or even confused about something, and stared at the empty plate in front of her. And again, Will's words echoed in her mind.

_I know what I'll be wishing for…_

"Can you excuse me for a moment?" she asked as she set her napkin aside and got up from the table. A tear fell from her eye as she started to walk away from the table.

"Emma, are you sure you're okay?" inquired Carl. "In the few months that I've known you, I've never seen you this emotional before. Is there something I can help you with?" Getting up from the table, he took his girlfriend in his arms and held her tightly. In Emma's mind, something didn't feel right at all about Carl's embrace – it wasn't the kind of embrace that made her feel safe and happy.

In all seriousness, it wasn't Will's embrace.

_I'll want another one day more…_

"Carl, you're such a sweet person and I've appreciated the time we've spent together," Emma said finally, trying to hold back her tears. "But I think this relationship isn't working out the way I hoped it would. You've helped me so much, however I believe that the person I choose to be in a relationship with is someone kind, compassionate, and understands and appreciates me for who I am."

"Emma, what are you trying to say?" asked Carl.

"What I'm trying to say is… I'm in love with someone else," she said softly. "And I hope you understand that."

And with that, Emma ran out of the restaurant in tears, leaving a confused Carl behind.

* * *

Once outside, Emma went back to her car, unlocked the door and pulled on the handle to open it, but not before wiping it with a disinfectant wipe. Getting in quickly, she started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, traveling the streets of Lima alone. She had told the truth to her now former boyfriend about her loving someone else, and she was still fighting back tears as she continued to drive through the darkened town, a hazy moon hanging above her.

She remembered she had the CD somewhere in the vehicle, and found it on the passenger seat. Reaching over to grab it, she quickly inserted the disc into the player on her car stereo and heard the familiar drumbeat introduction once again, followed by the piano and the guitar joining in. How many times had she played it since she found it on her desk that day? And how many times could she not think of the man she truly loved when she heard his voice sing from his heart? The tears kept falling as she listened to the music, then she finally realized what she had to do.

She had to find Will and tell him everything. About the whole thing regarding the confrontation in the faculty lounge when she had called him an inappropriate name in front of the rest of the staff. About how Sue had invaded his privacy by bribing his building's superintendent to bug his apartment. But most importantly, she had to tell him that she really loved him – that the song he had sung made her realize that he was the only person in her life that truly cared about her.

Somehow, she had to make things right again.

* * *

A short time later, Emma found herself outside Will's apartment building, standing outside her car and looking up at the lighted windows that seemed to brighten up the night sky. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she walked towards the entrance of the building, the clicking of her black heels against the pavement of the visitors' parking lot.

_Oh Will, I just want you to hold me in your arms again,_ she thought as she approached the building entrance and let herself in. She looked up at the building directory listing the names of all the people who lived there and their apartment numbers. And there it was, plain as day, right in front of her:

203 – Schuester

With a shaking hand, she pushed the button and heard a small buzzing noise, the signal that there was someone to see him. Finally, she heard Will's voice through the intercom speaker.

"Who is it?" he asked. That made Emma start tearing up again.

"Will?" she said with a shaky tone in her voice as she tried once more to choke back her tears. "I-it's me. I need to talk to you about something."


	3. Confession

It had been a quiet night for Will. He had graded some papers, worked on vocal arrangements for glee club, and now he was sitting on his couch watching a movie, a mug of hot chocolate sitting on the table in front of him. Whenever he was feeling down, he liked to watch an animated movie that would cheer him up a bit – he had so much on his mind lately that he often found it hard for him to concentrate on things.

He missed Emma greatly, and he had hoped the song he had sung for her on that CD made her realize how special she was to him.

Suddenly, he heard a beep coming from the intercom mounted on the side wall by the door. Pausing his movie, he got up from the couch and walked over to the intercom, pressing the button to talk.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"_Will?"_ came a familiar voice on the other end that was trying not to cry. _"I-it's me. I need to talk to you about something."_

_Emma,_ Will thought. "Okay, come on up, I'll be waiting for you." Depressing the talk button, he pressed another that was the signal to unlock the door that would allow visitors into the building. Stopping his movie altogether, he took a sip of his drink and set the mug back on the table as he waited. And sure enough, five minutes later, he heard a knock on his door. Opening it, he saw Emma standing in the hallway, her makeup smeared a bit, her eyes red and tears streaming down her face – it was apparent that she had been crying.

"Oh Will," she said between sobs, as she collapsed into his embrace, his strong arms not letting go.

"Shh, shh, Em, it's okay. I'm here," said Will softly as he continued to hold her tight.

* * *

As soon as Emma had a chance to calm down and wash her face, Will had the kettle going in the kitchen to make some tea. Two steaming mugs sat on the table a little while later as they sat on the couch together. Emma stared down at her hands, lost in thought.

"So what was it that you wanted to tell me?" Will asked.

"Well," replied Emma, "the first thing I want to tell you is that I apologize for calling you 'that word' that day during the confrontation in the faculty lounge. "

"Believe me, there was nothing going on between me and Shelby," Will interjected. "I was concerned about one of my students dating one of hers, so I went to Carmel High to talk to her, and then it just happened – I was the one who stopped it because it just didn't feel right. As for April, I've been trying to sublet my apartment while I find another place to live, so she came by to check out the place and she crawled into my bed. We never slept together."

"There's more to this," Emma went on. "You see, the thing is Sue told me everything – she bribed your building superintendent to bug your apartment with baby monitors. That's how she knew about April and Shelby. I had been under her influence, she told me she was a therapist and I believed her. Oh Will, I'm so sorry."

Sue. Will should have known she had been behind all this. She tried to destroy the glee club, and then tried to ruin his relationship with his best friend while invading his privacy at the same time. Sure enough, he reached under the sofa and pulled out a baby monitor that had been hidden there. He'd probably find one under his bed too. He would probably have to have a talk with his superintendent about this.

"It's all right, Em, I'm sorry for not telling you sooner about this," he said as he stroked her hair. "I thought you were on a date with Carl tonight. What happened?"

"I- I broke up with him," confessed Emma.

"But why?" inquired Will.

"Because it just didn't feel right between the two of us," she admitted. "You were still trying to find yourself, plus you were finalizing your divorce with Terri. So I dated him for over three months, hoping that by then you will have found a way to open your heart. But then I found a pink rose on my desk along with an unmarked CD after my last SAT prep class, so I took them home with me and listened to the disc as the note that was left inside the case had instructed. When it hit me that the voice I heard singing on the disc belonged to you, that's when I realized that what you had done really touched me. You found the way to express your real feelings towards me, so I knew you meant your words when you confessed your love to me that day in the hallway after regionals."

"I really did mean it," Will said. "You're my best friend, you were the only person that I could really talk to, the only person who gave me advice when I needed help. I didn't want to lose you."

"So I went out with Carl tonight," Emma said, "and I just couldn't get your song out of my mind. Even at school, I couldn't walk past the auditorium or the choir room without hearing your voice inside my head. And tonight, it was the same thing – your voice singing that beautiful song. I got up from the table and Carl embraced me, but it didn't feel right. That's when I confessed to him that the relationship wasn't working out and that I was in love with someone else. So then I came here because I wanted to make everything right again with you."

"So what you're trying to say is…" said Will, but Emma put a finger about an inch to his lips like he had done that day in the hallway after sectionals.

"I love you, Will," she said softly. "I always did, and I always will. And if you will let me, I would like to start over. No more lies, no more bad influences."

"I love you too, Emma," he said, and he pressed his lips against hers.

* * *

The evening went on as Will and Emma continued to talk about their re-kindled relationship. They laughed, they cried, and they talked about glee and what was going to happen next.

"I can't believe Sue of all people helped give glee another year," said Emma.

"It certainly was a surprise to me," Will admitted. "So now our goal is to re-focus and start building again towards regionals. It's going to take a lot of hard work, but I think we're going to get back there."

"I know it too," Emma replied, "because they have you as their teacher."

"Come with me, there's something I want to share with you," Will said, and he led Emma to the digital piano in the corner of the room. He had a keyboard before, but Terri had told him that it wasn't necessary so he sold it. After the divorce, he bought the piano and had enjoyed playing it whenever he felt sad or lonely, because music was his way of expressing himself. Sitting down on the bench, he began to play a song that also reminded him of his love for Emma. After playing the intro, he began to sing.

_Oceans apart day after day  
And I slowly go insane  
I hear your voice on the line  
But it doesn't stop the pain_

_If I see you next to never  
How can we say forever_

_Wherever you go  
Whatever you do  
I will be right here waiting for you  
Whatever it takes  
Or how my heart breaks  
I will be right here waiting for you_

_I took for granted, all the times  
That I thought would last somehow  
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears  
But I can't get near you now_

_Oh, can't you see it baby  
You've got me going crazy_

_Wherever you go  
Whatever you do  
I will be right here waiting for you  
Whatever it takes  
Or how my heart breaks  
I will be right here waiting for you_

_I wonder how we can survive  
This romance  
But in the end if I'm with you  
I'll take the chance_

_Oh, can't you see it baby  
You've got me going crazy_

_Wherever you go  
Whatever you do  
I will be right here waiting for you  
Whatever it takes  
Or how my heart breaks  
I will be right here waiting for you_

"Thank you, Will," Emma said as the song ended. "You always know the way to my heart, even when we're not together. I really do love you."

And Will knew that deep down in his heart, it was true.


End file.
